Deliberately attacking its own kind without assessing its strength, the smaller crocodile was bitten on the tail and had to flee rapidly.
In the clip, a small crocodile slowly crawls closer to a larger crocodile lying still in a waterhole in Australia. As it begins to attack, the larger crocodile opens its massive jaws and bites back. Caught off guard, the smaller crocodile is thrown upside down.
Without waiting for the smaller crocodile to land, the larger crocodile continues to clamp down on its opponent’s tail and violently throws it from side to side. Fortunately, the smaller crocodile managed to escape and save its life. The entire chaotic scene was captured by a passerby and shared on the social media platform Reddit.
Crocodiles are master predators. They often swim directly towards small prey like shrimp and crabs, swallowing them whole. However, when it comes to larger prey like pigs and deer, they can be very cautious. Sometimes, they wait underwater for hours until a large animal approaches for a drink, then silently launch a surprise attack from about one meter away.
Crocodiles are master predators.
Crocodiles target the head or limbs of their prey, then pull it underwater to drown it. Occasionally, they will roll quickly while clamping down on their prey to break its neck or limbs.
Paleontologist Gregory M. Erickson at the University of Florida and his colleagues conducted comprehensive research on all existing crocodile species through a bite force test. Among 23 crocodile species, the one with the strongest bite force is the saltwater crocodile (2.6 million kg/m²). Their bite force is powerful enough to crush the bones of their prey.
Intra-species cannibalism is quite common among crocodiles. When hungry, they can kill smaller crocodiles, including juveniles, to temporarily satisfy their growling stomachs.
Crocodiles also consume intruding territorial rivals. Notably, larger crocodiles often live solitary lives and have high territoriality, according to the non-profit conservation organization Defenders of Wildlife.
